COVID-19 Update: Meal Plan Refunds

Dear Andrews University Family,

As Andrews University responds to the significant changes and impact of our conversion to distance education, there are a number of additional details and questions that still need to be confirmed with our student family and our campus.

One of those key questions revolves around meal plan refunds for our residential students. Here are some answers and next steps that relate to that question:

1. As we move forward, some undergraduate students who live in the residence hall will be approved for Permission to Remain in the Residence Hall and will continue to live here on campus for the remainder of the semester. Those students will continue to use their existing spring semester meal plan, and we will share updates with those students from our Dining Services team. That will include more details on times of operation and meal options in the Terrace Café and the Gazebo. As we’ve shared in campus Town Hall meetings, we’ll also have updates in the days to come on operating hours for the James White Library and the Andreasen Center for Wellness.
    
2. For residence hall students who are moving out of the residence halls, there will be a prorated refund of the meal plan. We are basing the amount of that refund on the number of days missed as a result of the COVID-19 adjustments at Andrews University. Please note that the amount will vary depending on your specific usage up to March 23.
   
   For those students who currently have a meal plan with a balance, but are planning to move out of the residence hall, the maximum amount of the prorated refund will be $637. If a student who is moving out of the residence hall has a meal plan balance of less than $637, those students will be refunded the actual amount.
   
   On March 23, we will confirm the current meal plan balances for our students and refunds will be issued automatically based on the information above. If students have questions about how the refund was calculated, they can contact Linda Brinegar, Dining Services general manager. If a student has any questions about how this refund affects their student account, please contact Student Financial Services.

As we prepare to take these next steps to confirm the right answers on meal plans for our residential students, both for those who are moving and for those who will stay on campus, our Dining Services and Bon Appetit team are committed to serving each residential student in the days ahead. I invite you to visit our Andrews University COVID-19 page for ongoing updates.

Most importantly, I also want to say that each one of you in our Andrews University family is in our prayers. We pray for God’s presence, answers and strength in these challenging days.

Sincerely,

Chip Meekma
Vice President for Financial Administration